The Pittsburgh Pirates are taking a wait-and-see approach with outfielders Andrew McCutchen and Bryan Reynolds as they deal with injuries that kept them out of the starting lineup for two games against the Chicago Cubs.
Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said the team was assessing McCutchen’s right elbow soreness and Reynolds’ low back soreness to see if they were available for Wednesday afternoon’s game.
Tomczyk said Reynolds was working in the batting cage to “gauge his availability” after missing Tuesday’s game against the Cubs. McCutchen described his absence as “precautionary” Tuesday night, and Tomczyk added that McCutchen “is improving every day.”
“If anybody has been paying attention, it’s something I’ve been up and down with throughout the season,” McCutchen said. “We’ll be day-to-day about it. Day-to-day and see where we are. … I don’t think it’s going to be anything too crazy.”
Tomczyk said first baseman Ji-Man Choi (left Achilles) is “doing quite well” and anticipates him beginning a rehabilitation assignment “in the coming days” at Double-A Altoona or Triple-A Indianapolis and play at least five to seven games there before returning to the majors.
“It’s ‘see how he goes.’ I think he’s been out for a while now, so they want, most importantly, for Ji Man to get his timing back,” Tomczyk said. “But his input and his feedback is very important to (manager) Derek (Shelton) and staff to see how he’s feeling. So nothing etched in stone.”
Tomczyk said shortstop Oneil Cruz (left ankle), who is off the crutches, is “still getting used to walking without a limp.” Cruz has been cleared to play light catch up to 45 feet — he did so with Pirates bench coach Don Kelly on Tuesday — but has not initiated any swinging activities.
“He’s gaining range of motion, gaining strength, gaining the musculature with the calf, with no surprises at this point,” said Tomczyk, who added that Cruz is dealing with residual soreness. “We didn’t want to rush this when he’s not having the full range of motion and the full strength yet because we don’t want to create any additional kinetic chain problems.”
Right-handed reliever Wil Crowe (right shoulder) “is feeling zero symptoms” after throwing two side sessions at Pirate City in Bradenton, Fla., “so we’re encouraged about that,” Tomczyk said. Crowe is expected to throw a live bullpen session next week.
Right-hander Max Kranick, returning from Tommy John surgery last June, is scheduled to throw a live bullpen this week at Pirate City.
Relievers Colin Holderman (right wrist) and Rob Zastryzny (left forearm) are playing catch up to 120-150 feet with no issues. Holderman is expected to throw a bullpen session this weekend in Miami, followed by a simulated game or live bullpen. Zastryzny is throwing on flat ground but will throw off the slope this weekend.
Lefty reliever Jose Hernandez (right calf) hasn’t resumed full throwing yet, but that could happen weekend.
“He is feeling relatively normal with activities of daily life,” Tomczyk said, “and then we’ll continue to ramp up the running and exercises in that manner.”
